Black Vote Helps Doug Jones Beat Roy Moore in Senate Race

Democratic leaders and celebrities came out prior to the Senate race in Alabama to push candidate Doug Jones over the top in his race against Roy Moore. Rep. John Lewis D-Georgia), Rep. Cory Booker D-New Jersey) and former NBA star Charles Barkley were just a few of Democrats stomping for Jones in what turned out to be a tight race. Despite Robocalls from President Donald Trump pushing for Moore, the results were clear, as Jones beat him by more than 20,000 votes. Key to Jones’ election came in two forms: women (58 percent of which voted for Jones), and the Black vote, which turned out in record numbers. According to CNN, 30 percent of voters were Black, with a stunning 96 percent voting for Jones. And 98 percent of Black women supported Jones. Joanice Thompson, 68, told the New York Times that she and her fellow Black voter were concerned were worried that Trumpism and a Republican-led Congress would chip away at protections for poor and working-class Americans. “But it’s a matter of character for us, too,” she said. Key to Jones’ election, experts believe, was the fact that as a federal prosecutor, he had successfully prosecuted to Klansman for their roles in the bombing of a Baptist church in Birmingham. Moore has refused to concede and has demanded a recount, but experts say a recount in unlikely to change the outcome.